Celebrate the Bay! A Free Special Film Event for the Monterey Bay Community on September 23rd.
Ocean Frontiers is an inspiring voyage to seaports and watersheds across the country where unlikely allies - farmers, shippers, scientists, fishermen and conservationists - are working together to sustain the sea and our ocean economies. Celebrate today's ocean pioneers at the reception and enjoy sustainable seafood and wine from the Central Coast. COMPLETED

BLUE is Back! BLUE Ocean Film Frstival and Conservation Event September 24th - 30th.
Set next to one of the world's most scenic landscapes along the Monterey Bay Peninsula, BLUE is a high-energy, enlightening and entertaining 7-Day festival showcasing the world's finest ocean films and award winning marine photography along with a filmmakers marketplace, science and conservation seminars, international policy discussions and a robust ocean media industry conference. (9/6/12) COMPLETED

Pilots: Know Before You Go
New editions of the sectional charts for Los Angeles and San Francisco will be released this summer that include a revised notice to pilots about federal regulations affecting low-altitude flight operations in parts of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Please click here for more information and release dates of the sectional charts. (6/18/12)

Free "SeaPhoto" app for iPhone and iPad
The first of its kind for the MBNMS and Central California region, includes more than 1,300 photos of marine life, some with detailed ecological information. In addition to the photos of more than 550 species of marine life, the mobile app includes an extensive, searchable glossary of common and scientific names. Users can save their favorite photos and share them via Twitter and email. The app also provides general information about the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and links to the sanctuary's web site and its YouTube channel. (6/18/12)

Summary of the 2011 Workshop to Inform the Ecosystem–based Management Initiative
On May 24th, 2011 Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) staff convened a workshop to gather information on biological, oceanographic and geological features and submerged cultural resources that are unique and/or rare in MBNMS, and to identify supporting data sources and information gaps. The information gathered from the workshop is summarized a report titled "Unique and Rare Features in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: Summary of the 2011 Workshop to Inform the Ecosystem-based Management Initiative" The workshop was a successful step in gathering information on unique and rare features in MBNMS and evaluating threats to those features. Ensuring protection of unique and rare features in the sanctuary is one of the four goals of the Ecosystem-based Management Initiative. (2/14/12)

NOAA revises sanctuary low-altitude flight regulations
NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries is announcing an amendment to existing overflight regulations (15 CFR Part 922) for four west coast sanctuaries: Monterey Bay, Gulf of the Farallones, Channel Islands, and Olympic Coast. Although these federal regulations have been in place in the sanctuaries for many years, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries has standardized regulatory language to reflect a consistent and clear regulatory approach. NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries is working with the FAA to change the notation on the charts from "recommended" minimum altitude to "required" minimum altitude. These amendments are intended to better inform pilots, improve resource protection, and potentially reduce the risk to pilots and aircraft from bird strikes. Sanctuary low overflight restrictions pertain to discrete nearshore zones within each sanctuary. Click here to download a copy of the Final Rule (160KB PDF).

Job Announcements

Position Announcement: Sanctuary Exploration Center Education Specialist
This is a term-employment position through the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, on assignment to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Duties for the employee working with MBSF and MBNMS staff include the following. For more information, download the PDF linked below. (1/18/12) CLOSED

Assist in the development of standardized volunteer training materials, conduct annual training sessions for new volunteers, and regular enrichment classes for existing volunteers, organizes and maintains volunteer records and organizes annual appreciation events;

Aid in the development and maintenance of Sanctuary Exploration Center promotional materials (website, social media outlets, print materials, etc.).

Position Announcement: Sanctuary Exploration Center Operations SpecialistThis is a term-employment position through the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, on assignment to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Duties for the employee working with MBSF and MBNMS staff include the following. For more information, download the PDF linked below. (1/18/12)
CLOSED

Develop and maintain a monitoring program to ensure that the related L.E.E.D. aspects of the facility are appropriately functioning.

Oversee seawater system and utilities issues with MBNMS staff support

Create and maintain all facilities records related to general facilities operations, purchasing and maintenance. Complete all necessary paperwork to maintain equipment and supplies for the Center.

Position Announcement: Sanctuary Exploration Center Education & Outreach Developer
This is a term-employment position through the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, on assignment to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Duties for the employee working with MBSF and MBNMS staff include the following. For more information, download the PDF linked below. (1/13/12)
CLOSED

Design, develop and implement a regional education needs assessment for education and outreach programming at the Sanctuary Exploration Center;

Develop a comprehensive, multicultural Education and Outreach Plan that includes six core program elements.

Requests for Proposals

What's New on the MBNMS Site

2012 "Discover Your Central Coast" Lecture Series
Introduces community members to their local marine environment. Experts from NOAA's Monterey bay National Marine Sanctuary and it's partners will engage participants will present topics relative to the central coast. All lectures are from 6pm - 7pm, at the Rabobank Community Room (1070 Main Street, Cambria). (3/28/12)

2012 Coastal Discovery Center FairFrom 11AM to 5PM at at WR Hearst Memorial State Beach, San Simeon. See live animals, make a remotely operated underwater robot, take a picture with Sammy the Steelhead, learn new games, make crafts, learn how to help our local marine mammals, and meet animals from the SLO Turtle Rescue and the Pacific Wildlife Center! (3/28/12)

New M/V Med Taipei section covering topics related to how the funds from the lost container were used. This includes the lost fishing gear cruises, deep benthic assessments, research cruises to the container site, and coastal erosion projects. (1/17/12)

MBNMS Site Updates

Archives of News, Announcements, and Updates

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